Cleveland Cavaliers 2015-2016 vs Chicago Bulls 1995 - 1996 in a playoff series

[329 Services]

What would have happened? Would Lebron James pull same feat like he did vs 73 - 9 golden state warriors.

I am going to say no, because there was no way Jordan chokes the last 5 minutes of the game 7 the way Golden State & Stephanie Curry did.
No way Lebron gets to Jordan head, the way he got to Curry.

[Nilocon165]

Obviously the Bulls

[Bawkish]

Bulls

their guards were too big & also defensively minded

Lebron would have a meltdown dealing with Rodman, mentally & physically

[scandisk_]

Lebron and Kyrie get their usual and perhaps JR on small stretches. What about the rest? :lol

Now put Green on the Cavs roster then we'll talk

[Segatti]

Lebron is better than Jordan, but the Bulls is the better team overall.

[Bawkish]

Lebron is better than Jordan, but the Bulls is the better team overall.

in flopping, i agree

[sportjames23]

Lebron is better than Jordan, but the Bulls is the better team overall.


In choking in the Finals? Yes.

[moongaze]

The bulls guards would be too big and slow for Kyrie. He would have a field day getting in the paint against the bulls. He pretty much molested Thompsonthe entire series. Tristan Thompson and Kevin love battling for boards against rodman would be fun.


Jr has the ability to go on three point barrages . The cavs would probably use Frye more and use a more three point centric attack with Irving and lebron driving .bulls would have their hands full

[fourkicks44]

Bulls

their guards were too big & also defensively minded

Lebron would have a meltdown dealing with Rodman, mentally & physically

Out of all all-time match ups, Lebron vs Rodzilla is the one I would want to see more than any other.

[90sgoat]

Rodman vs TT would be fun to watch.

Lebron would find it very hard against Pippen tho, Pippen being Igoudala x 3 on defense and much better on offense.

Shumpert, Irving or Jefferson trying to guard MJ?

I think MJ would probably be on Irving on D with Ron Harper, that's going to be tough.

Bulls win that in 5.

[Da_Realist]

Horrible matchup for the Cavs for one reason: Scottie Pippen. Athletic and intelligent enough to make Lebron work for everything. Quick enough to stay with him, strong enough to prevent or seriously hinder post ups and long enough to impede his court vision. He could defend Lebron full court and half court -- or mix it up to keep him off balance. Take away Lebron and you can beat the Cavs easily.

[KKittles30]

Rodman would suffocate LeBron guarding him to the point he throws hissy fits... and probably quits...mid series

Rodman on LeBron
Jordan on Kyrie
Pippen on Love/Thompson
Harper on Smith

SWEEP!

[NBAGOAT]

Rodman would suffocate LeBron guarding him to the point he throws hissy fits... and probably quits...mid series

Rodman on LeBron
Jordan on Kyrie
Pippen on Love/Thompson
Harper on Smith

SWEEP!

this isn't Pistons Rodman, there's no way he's guarding Lebron and you need him more for rebounding. Much better on Love especially when he posts up. Cavs best chance is to do the same they did vs the Warriors, use the pnr to try to get switches off Pippen for Lebron or Jordan of Kyrie. Obviously, the Kyrie/Lebron pnr wouldn't help but others could. Still, seriously doubt it even goes 6.

[oh the horror]

They win one title and people are losing their minds.

[Segatti]

in flopping, i agree


In choking in the Finals? Yes.

Only deluded Jordan stans think 2016 Lebron is not better than 1996 Jordan. It's not even close actually.

[Megabox!]

One team has the guy who beat a 73 win team, and the other team has Jordan. Cavs in 6

[SexSymbol]

Bulls in 4. 5 if Cavs play out of their mind

[sportjames23]

Only deluded Jordan stans think 2016 Lebron is not better than 1996 Jordan. It's not even close actually.


Yeah, it's not, idiot.

1996 MJ: MVP, All Star MVP, Finals MVP, scoring champ, All Defensive Team, All NBA Team

2016: Finals MVP, All NBA Team

Sit your monkey ass down, bitch.

[sportjames23]

One team has the guy who beat a 73 win team, and the other team has Jordan. Cavs lose in 6


You're foolishly generous. Cavs might get one game.

[Indian guy]

Watch how the same people who have endlessly bitched about LeBron's "historically stacked" teams pick the opposition with "ease" here. And they'll do the same if you pit this Cleveland team or any of LeBron's past championship teams against anyone. I saw it all the time between 12-14 too. Doesn't just have to be Chicago, it could be literally any great team from the past and they'll pick that team with "ease" and laugh at the comparison. Just a window into how little credibility LeBron's haters have and how full of sh!t they are. The pathetic agenda, essentially, is to not give him credit for anything. And that is why LeBron haters are, and always will be, the biggest scum you'll ever meet.

Anyway, moving on to the match up, LeBron's managed to put up some very gaudy numbers the last 3 Finals against monster defenders in Leonard(2x DPOY), Iguodala and Green. 3 of the absolute best of this era. Let's stop pretending Pippen is somehow different from them. If you look at the notable SFs Pippen went up against in the playoffs from 91-98 - Aguirre, Glenn Rice, McDaniel, Kersey, 'Nique, Larry Johnson, Nick Anderson, Schrempf and Mashburn - they almost always matched or exceeded their RS production against Chicago. Honestly, the only one who actually did worse was Rice in '92 as a rookie. So history suggests LeBron would do just fine against Pippen and own that matchup overall. Pippen's offensive production generally fell of a cliff in the playoffs during the 2nd 3peat. He averaged 17 ppg on 39% shooting in '96. Moving on....Chicago's guards simply don't have a prayer of checking Irving. JR and Shumpert are both pretty good defenders, but MJ is going to get his no matter who's guarding him. I'll take Cleveland's front line over Chicago's, but Chicago definitely has a better bench due to Kukoc alone.

Longley < Thompson
Rodman = Love
Pippen < LeBron
MJ > JR
Harper < Irving

Bench: Wennington/Kukoc/Kerr > Frye/Jefferson/Shumpert/Delly

Coaching: Phil > Lue

It would be a heck of a series. Cleveland was a GOAT-level offensive team this postseason that eventually proved their defensive mettle too against a GOAT-level offensive team. But Chicago was even more of a 2-way monster. They'll probably take it in 7 games, since they have homecourt.

[Bankaii]

Are people seriously overratin the Bulls like this?

For one, 2016 Finals Lebron >> 1996 Finals Jordan
Pippen was ass in the Finals too.

If you don't think Lebron (a bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic Payton) can't guard Jordan when he was shitting down Steph Curry, you're delusional.

2016 Cavs in 7.

[SexSymbol]

98 jordan is better than any version of LeBron

[riseagainst]

98 jordan is better than any version of LeBron


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[bigkingsfan]

73>72

[riseagainst]

73 > 72
Cavaliers beat 73
thus Cavs > 73 > 72

[livinglegend]

Watch how the same people who have endlessly bitched about LeBron's "historically stacked" squads pick the opposition with "ease" here. And they'll do the same if you pit this Cleveland team or any of LeBron's past championship teams against anyone. Doesn't just have to be Chicago, it could be literally any great team from the past and they'll pick that team with "ease". Just a window into how little credibility LeBron's haters have and how full of sh!t they are.

Anyway, moving on to the match up, LeBron's managed to put up some very gaudy numbers the last 3 Finals against monster defenders in Leonard(2x DPOY), Iguodala and Green. 3 of the absolute best of this era. Let's stop pretending Pippen is somehow different from them. If you look at the notable SFs Pippen went up against in the playoffs from 91-98 - Agguire, Glenn Rice, McDaniel, Kersey, 'Nique, Larry Johnson, Nick Anderson, Schrempf and Mashburn - they almost always matched or exceeded their RS production against Chicago. Honestly, the only one who actually did worse was Rice in '92 as a rookie. So we know LeBron would do just fine against Pippen and own that matchup overall. Pippen's offensive production generally fell of a cliff in the playoffs during the 2nd 3peat. He averaged 17 ppg on 39% shooting in '96. Moving on....Chicago's guards simply don't have a prayer of checking Irving. JR and Shumpert are both pretty good defenders, but MJ is going to get his no matter who's guarding him. I'll take Cleveland's front line over Chicago's, but Chicago definitely has a better bench due to Kukoc alone.

Longley < Thompson
Rodman = Love
Pippen < LeBron
MJ > JR
Harper < Irving

Bench: Wennington/Kukoc/Kerr > Frye/Jefferson/Shumpert/Delly

Coaching: Phil > Lue

It would be a heck of a series. Cleveland was a GOAT-level offensive team this postseason, but Chicago's almost as impressive defensively while being elite on offense themselves. They'll probably take it in 7 games.

Great post.
I got Cavs because they would have the best player in the series and they just beat a better team in Warriors.

[r0drig0lac]

Bulls in 4

[WolfGang]

Tristan and Love aren't good enough to put the Cavs over the Bulls.

[moongaze]

I've always believed that the cavs were one of the greatest teams all time back when they went on the run after trading for mozgov, jr and shumpert. They finally were healthy enough to prove it this year. The cavs adjust to the opponent. Against Detroit and Atlanta they went bombs away from outside. Against the raptors and warriors they attacked the rim relentlessly. They could beat the bulls either way. The bulls would have no answers if threeveland showed up. The big problem is Jordan. But if there's anyone I'd want to guard him its lebron. The cavs just shut down one of the best offenses in history. I wouldn't put it past them being able to hold Jordan to something like 45 percent shooting. Cavs in 6 or 7

[Lebron23]

Are people seriously overratin the Bulls like this?

For one, 2016 Finals Lebron >> 1996 Finals Jordan
Pippen was ass in the Finals too.

If you don't think Lebron (a bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic Payton) can't guard Jordan when he was shitting down Steph Curry, you're delusional.

2016 Cavs in 7.

Cavaliers in 6

[Roundball_Rock]

Watch how the same people who have endlessly bitched about LeBron's "historically stacked" teams pick the opposition with "ease" here. And they'll do the same if you pit this Cleveland team or any of LeBron's past championship teams against anyone.

Exactly--and the inconsistency is completely lost on them. The Heat supposedly were the most super of super teams, but would be crushed by every all-time great team. The two things can't be true.

The reality is the Heat were not a historically great team by any measure, except maybe, jersey sales.

[HoopsNY]

Anyway, moving on to the match up, LeBron's managed to put up some very gaudy numbers the last 3 Finals against monster defenders in Leonard(2x DPOY), Iguodala and Green.

Keep in mind Kawhi is a second year player in 2013 and doesn't win a DPOY award until 2014-2015, after he had faced the Heat in the finals. In addition, Iguodala's best days were behind him and wasn't a starter by 2014, nor did he have any all-defensive selections after 2013-2014.

You're not entirely wrong, though. Kawhi was a solid defender by the 2014 finals and Iguodala was decent by 2015. Not sure why you think Love and Rodman are equal. Sure, Love can shoot and rebound, but Rodman likely wouldn't give him room to breathe. Pippen in 1996 was All-Defensive 1st team and would likely give some problems to Lebron, but Lebron likely would put up 25-28 pts against him, still.

Overall, I think the stifling defense of the Bulls is what really separates them from a lot of teams historically, as well as their ability to match up better with Rodman-Pippen-Jordan.

[HoopsNY]

Exactly--and the inconsistency is completely lost on them. The Heat supposedly were the most super of super teams, but would be crushed by every all-time great team. The two things can't be true.

The reality is the Heat were not a historically great team by any measure, except maybe, jersey sales.

They made the finals every year that they had the super-team, and in 2012-2013 won 66 games and the NBA championship. They weren't as good as some other historical teams but you'd have to put that team up there. And by the standard set in 2010, they were a super-team of the league.

[Soundwave]

Bulls would beat that Cavs team so would the 95-96 Magic. That Finals was more Golden State choking away a win moreso than Cleveland beating them, they had that sh*t won and done and decided to play stupid basketball the rest of the way.

Don't think they're too upset about it though because it landed them Durant.